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Tribune News Service

David Beckham, footballer-turned-People’s “Sexiest Man Alive”, has about done it all.
Retired for 12 years, the football star turns 50 in May. But the Briton is not letting age keep him from the gym.
He is bulking up and building his athleticism in new ways five to six days a week.
“My body’s actually feeling better than it has done for a long time,” Beckham told Men’s Health magazine in February.
I never had pecs until I met Bob [Rich]. You could say I’ve gone up a couple of cup sizes as a result. I’ve never had a chest.
David Beckham on working out with his personal trainer
“People ask where I feel it the most – is it my knees or my ankles? My Achilles was a bad injury toward the end of my playing career, but it never troubles me now, despite rupturing it.
“It’s actually the lower left side of my back and my left hip that give me the most grief. I’ve had it all X-rayed, MRI’d – it’s just wear and tear.”

The back pain inspired Beckham to take a different approach to his workouts than what was required during his football days. It was a tough decision, forcing him to face one of his biggest adversaries in the gym: pull-ups.
“The strength work that I do for my core and upper body helps with the backaches that I’ve got,” he said, speaking on his new-found passion for muscle building.
Beckham works with personal trainer Bobby Rich to bulk out, a style of exercise he traditionally only used to build up his legs.
I hated pull-ups with a passion. I could literally only do two or three – three at most.
David Beckham
“When I was playing, the only strength work I did was on my legs,” he continued. “It was never really upper body. I never had pecs until I met Bob [Rich]. You could say I’ve gone up a couple of cup sizes as a result.
“I’ve never had a chest. I never really had a desire to, either. I was determined to be as lean as I could be. But since I’ve retired, I’ve put a bit of meat on my pecs.
“I hated pull-ups with a passion. I could literally only do two or three – three at most. Bob decided to focus on press-ups and pull-ups. I hated both, and now we do them most days.

“I’ve been trying to get Victoria to work out with Bob for years, and she finally agreed to adjust her workout. Now we do five days a week, sometimes six, together.”
So, how well are the workouts going? Beckham is not bothered by turning 50 “one bit”.
“People are asking me about it gently, like it should be a big issue,” he said. “It’s not something that I’m worried about – as long as I’m fit and healthy and my family is healthy, that’s all I care about.
“For my 50th, I’m going to keep it really simple. I want good food, good wine – that’s it. All my closest friends.”
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


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David Beckham says he has “put a bit of meat” on his pecs working out with personal trainer Bobby Rich. Photo: instagram.com/davidbeckham

Ex-football star David Beckham does a pull-up as part of his gym routine. “As long as I’m fit and healthy and my family is healthy, that’s all I care about,” says David Beckham of turning 50 in May. Photo: Instagram/davidbeckham

Beckham (right) works with personal trainer Bobby Rich to bulk out, a style of exercise he traditionally only used to build up his legs. Photo: Instagram/mrbobbyrich

Beckham says he used to only focus on building muscle in his legs while he was still playing; since he retired, he says he’s “put a bit of meat” of his pecs. Photo: Instagram/davidbeckham 

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From left: Raeza Ibrahim in a suit when he weighed 100kg; in a pair of shorts at the gym weighing 91kg; and on holiday in Cebu, the Philippines, in swimming trunks where he weighs 76kg. Photo: Raeza Ibrahim

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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

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Strength work on his core and upper body eases wear and tear on his back from football career, Beckham says as he prepares to turn 50 in May


Strength work on his core and upper body eases wear and tear on his back from football career, Beckham says as he prepares to turn 50 in May.


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Fame and celebrity